Abstract

Background: The resistance to antimicrobial agents among Staphylococci is an increasing problem. This has led to a renewed interest in the usage of macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) antibiotics to treat staphylococcal infections. Clinical failure has been reported due to multiple mechanisms that confer resistance to clindamycin antibiotics. The present study was to investigate the inducible clindamycin resistance among isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococci by the D-test method.

Materials & Methods: This study was conducted on 218 staphylococcal isolates obtained from different clinical specimens of outpatients and inpatients admitted to Tripoli Central Hospital (TCH), Libya. Methicillin resistance was detected by oxacillin, cefoxitin disc diffusion test (Kirby Bauer method) and confirmed by other biochemical tests. Detection of inducible clindamycin resistance was performed by D-test using erythromycin and clindamycin.

Conclusion: Higher prevalence of iMLSB phenotype was mainly associated with methicillin-resistant than methicillin-sensitive isolates. We recommend that D-test should be performed to facilitate the appropriate treatment of patients infected with Staphylococci.